ORLANDO, FLA.—It is official. As reported in Green Lodging News in July, in response to growing member interest in green hotels, AAA has launched a program to highlight AAA Approved lodgings that have been eco-certified through a well-established government or private program.
A bright green “ECO” symbol makes it easy to identify eco-friendly lodgings in the new 2010 editions of the AAA TourBook guides and on AAA.com. Additionally, travelers will be able to customize their hotel searches on AAA.com to show green properties first in their search results.
“The new ECO symbol serves as a notice to AAA members that a property has taken steps to become an environmental advocate,” said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Tourism Information Development. “We are pleased to publish this information as a service to members who make sustainability a factor in their lodging selection.”
One of Many Icons Used by AAA
The ECO icon is one of many used in the TourBook/AAA.com lodging listings as a tool to help members select their ideal accommodations. The symbols depict guest services, leisure activities, in-room amenities and safety features that members say impact their hotel selection and satisfaction.
AAA is not involved in the evaluation of any property’s environmental practices, but provides this information from recognized organizations as a service to members. Additional information and a list of recognized certification programs are accessible at AAA.com/eco.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
